The first official meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi since border tensions broke out in eastern Ladakh in May 2020 took place during the BRICS conference in Russia on Wednesday, according to media.
A day after China and India reached a deal on military patrols along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri made the statement. According to the newspaper, the agreement is regarded as a significant step in attempts to resolve the four-year military standoff between the two countries.
“I can confirm that there will be a bilateral meeting between PM Modi and President Xi Jinping tomorrow (Wednesday) on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit,” Misri said, as quoted.
This was Modi and Xi’s first formal meeting since tensions erupted along the border, notwithstanding their brief greetings at the 2022 G20 summit in Indonesia. According to the media, the two leaders last spoke casually during the BRICS meeting in Johannesburg in August 2023.
Kazan, which hosted the BRICS summit, was the planned location for the meeting.
Patrolling agreement
According to the source, Misri stated that the immediate focus of the new patrolling agreement struck on Monday will be disengagement, with additional discussions on troop de-escalation anticipated later.
“The patrolling and grazing activities in the areas under discussion will revert to the situation that existed in 2020,” Misri was quoted as saying.
These talks didn’t go over earlier disengagement agreements again. Rather, it focused on concerns that had not been resolved in the previous few years.
Misri noted that the agreement aims to prevent future clashes along the LAC. “We must ensure the mechanisms are in place to avoid incidents like those in the past,” he added.
Indio-China longstanding tensions
Following a fatal battle in the Galwan Valley in June 2020—the deadliest military confrontation between the two nations in decades—India and China’s ties reached a low point. Although there are still unsolved difficulties in places like Depsang and Demchok, both parties have now retreated from a number of locations of contention following multiple military and diplomatic discussions.
It is anticipated that these territories will be covered by the recently signed agreement, enabling both nations to continue patrolling.
CPI leader D Raja emphasised the necessity for communication and appealed for amicable border relations between China and India. In order to find a long-term solution, Raja stated that “both countries must see that the borders remain peaceful, with no military tensions or conflicts,” adding that communication and mutual trust are essential.
He suggested that India and China resume their April 2020 situation since it might result in further de-escalation of tensions.
On October 21, the Ministry of External Affairs declared that the patrolling agreement was the outcome of lengthy negotiations between Chinese and Indian military and diplomatic representatives.
Meanwhile, China confirmed the agreement, with a foreign ministry spokesperson saying, “We have reached a resolution on the relevant matter and will work with the Indian side to implement the solution.” China also emphasised that both sides remain in close communication through diplomatic and military channels, according to the media.
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